


Fear the cranes

by Shortandverynerdy



Category: Gotham - Fandom
Genre: Gotham, Language, Needles/drug use, dc, gotham fanfic, gotham fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24291934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortandverynerdy/pseuds/Shortandverynerdy
Summary: cordelia Crane almost perished in the fire that took the life of her mother, after developing Pyrophobia due to this her father set out to help her.But this help is going to change both hers and her brother, Johnathan’s life forever. some would argue it was for the worst....The sibling however, would disagree.
Relationships: Friendship - Relationship, None, platonic relationship - Relationship
Kudos: 1





	1. pyrophobia, the fear of fire.

She could see it, she could feel it. The flames surrounding her, licking at her skin. The flames dancing in her eyes, the sweat pouring off her forehead. It was taunting her, teasing the poor girl. She was only young then, but cordelia thought she was going to die that night. A black figure with long limbs and fingers crept towards her from the flames. stalking,waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. It launches itself just as she woke up screaming. The black figure and flames were replaced by the darkened walls of her room. Light streamed onto her face as her bedroom door was opened and the figure of her father entered, rushing to her bedside “Delia? Cordelia, sweetheart what happened?” he checks her over for any signs of injury. Gripping her shoulders lightly he addressed her again “Are you alright?” she nodded “I-I had a nightmare again” he sighs as he brushes a strand of hair out of her face “its alright, I’m here now. Whatever you saw can’t hurt you” he released her shoulders as she wrapped him up into a hug. “Dad? What happened?” A much younger male voice sounded from the hall. The figure of her brother appeared in the doorway soon after,“it’s alright Johnathan, your sister just had another nightmare” he nodded but his face was full of concern “this is the fourth one this week” her father kept a hand on cordelias shaking figure “I know son, and they seem to be getting worse” her father takes his hand off of her shoulder and grabs her hand gently, he leads her out of bed and towards her brother “here, go help your sister make some tea, she’s still a little shaken” Johnathan, putting an arm round her shoulder lead her to the kitchen. 

The week passed without much complaint on cordelia’s part. She mainly spent time at school or hanging out with her brother. The door slammed signalling their father had left. She was munching on a piece of toast as he left, turning to Johnathan, who was making his own food she begins to ask him a question “hey, Johnny...do you know where dad goes every night?” He stops he was doing and turns to look at her “Whenever I ask him about it he says it’s for the greater good, for our benefit” she continued. Johnathan walks up to her, his hands placed on her shoulders in the familiar way their father always did when addressing her “that’s because he wants to help us. Delia you can barely leave the house on a bad day, He’s searching for a way to help ease your anxiety” she perks up at this, her eyes lighting up “is he gunna find me a therapist?” She has heard from a teacher at her college that talking to someone like a therapist was good, she wanted to give it try. Johnathan flicks his hair out of his face before answering her “truthfully, I don’t know” he offers her a smile “but I’m glad your excited to talk to someone about this. You never wanted to talk about it before” he let’s go and stands up straighter, turning his attention back to the food he was preparing. she takes a bite of her toast “someone at college told me that therapy could help, possibly even medication” she spoke about the medication in a small voice. She knew Johnathan wouldn’t mind should she wish to get medication to help her anxiety and phobia but she knew her fathers stance on the subject “do you think I could ask dad about it” he turns to her “I don’t think talking to him about medication is the best idea but if you want to see a therapist, I’ll support you” she smiles brightly just as the door opened, their father bursts into the room, talking excitedly about a breakthrough. The siblings gave eachother an excited look as their father rambled on. He was going to do great things to help people they could feel it.


	2. trypanophobia - the fear of needles

Cordeila sat in the car as her father visited a swimming pool, he had taken a young woman with him and despite cordelia’s protests, dragged the woman in.  
“listen, sweetheart. This is for the greater good. I’m doing this to help you and Johnathan...don’t you want to overcome your fear?”  
He had told her, she had nodded in response  
“of course I do, I’m just a little wary of how you’re going about the whole ordeal”  
her father sighs  
“I know, just trust me, everything will be alright”  
she nodded again  
“promise?” The small, almost childlike voice that came out almost made her feel like she was a child again and not her accurate eighteen years. Her father smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of her face  
“i promise” 

The siblings sat in silence for a while after their father left. Listening to the noises of the street Cordelia huffed, tracing the length of the window with her fingers she’d had hoped her father would be out soon when the sound of her brothers voice broke her out of her thoughts  
“The meters almost ran out” he stated.  
He was sat in the passenger seat, staring at the meter next to their car  
“want me to go get more coins off of dad?” Cordelia asked, reaching for the belt buckle  
“no it’s fine, I’ll go get it. You stay here” he gets out the car, telling her to stay put once more before disappearing into the the building. The few moments he was gone she sat in eerie silence, it was in this moment she remembers how creepy Gotham could be at night. Johnathan returns, looking a little shaken  
“you ok Johnny?” Cordelia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder “what?..oh yeah I’m fine” he places his hand on top of hers  
“you sure, you look shaken...is dad doing something bad In there?” Johnathan turns to face her  
“no...I, it’s fine delia,honest”  
Cordelia remains silent, she trusted her brother enough to know he’d tell her if something was up....wouldn’t he?. The opening of the car door signalled the arrival of their father. Cordelia frowns slightly, he was earlier then expected  
“dad, what happened?” Johnathan asks as their father begins to drive off  
“The GCPD Turned up, had to run” he stated, the car turning a street  
“the GCPD? You mean the police! Dad what were you doing to that poor woman?!” Cordelia asks  
“never you mind, sweetheart” running her hands through her hair she gathers enough courage to begin to argue with him  
“no I want to know, what exactly-“ “CORDELIA!...thats enough”  
the raising of her fathers voice made Cordelia jump slightly. Johnathan stared wide eyed at their father. he had never really yelled at any of them like that before. The drive from then on was silent 

Cordelia sat in her room. They had eaten dinner in silence, only Johnathan really spoke to her. The door opens and she could hear her father walking in, before sitting beside her  
“sweetheart, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have raised my voice....I was incredibly stressed in that moment. I hope you can forgive me”  
she nodded burying her face into her fathers chest  
“I forgive you”  
they wrapped eachother in an embrace before he held her at arms length.  
“Now, I think the serum is finally ready” cordelia’s eyes widened  
“really?”  
Her father nodded  
“yes. I’ve successfully tested it on myself, I think it’s finally your turn”  
he pulls out a needle from his jacket pocket, cordelia’s heart began pounding, her eyes filled with shock  
“wait, you wanna do it right now?”.  
Her father nodded in response  
“yes, we don’t have much time....now, hold still. I love you”  
he tells her as he pulls up her shirt sleeve. Cordelia winced slightly as she felt the needle go in. A few blinks later and soon her room burst into flames , the long limbed figure not too far behind. As she began to scream her father stroked her hair,  
“that’s it, you’re doing so well. Face your fear, sweetheart”  
she twitched and squirmed under his grasp, her eyes filling with tears as she could do nothing but watch as the figure makes its way towards her, flames everywhere she looked. with her heart beating faster and faster, hands gripping the bed sheets, she hoped the pain she was in would stop. she cried out, all the while the long limbed figure kept creeping towards her. Cordelia didn’t know if was the fact it was there or that it was simply there, watching her; that frightened her the most. All she knew what that she wanted it gone.  
once the serum finished it’s round, cordelia began sobbing into her fathers chest.  
“there, there sweetheart. You did amazing, a few more of those nasty experiences and you will never have to fear it anymore”  
they both knew what he was talking about. The fire that almost killed her. She nodded, drying her eyes with her finger  
“Promise”  
“I promise” 

The next evening rolled around and Johnathan was about to be injected with the serum, when a voice sounded  
“GCPD”.  
At the sound of the voice her father became almost as panicked as she was becoming  
“dad, c’mon we have to go now” Johnathan grabs cordelia’s wrist and as The voice called out again the panic between the three rose.  
“dad, they’re going to arrest you once they come in here we have to go” Johnathan had let go of cordelia’s wrist and headed towards their father  
“Johnnys right dad, we gotta get a move on”  
she was silenced by her father speaking over her  
“there’s still time, we can complete the protocol”  
as soon as those words left their father the officer announced he was coming in. The three ran for it, landing by the scarecrow outside their house. Johnathan fell to his knees and Cordelia dropped beside him  
“Dad what are you doing?”  
She asked as her father was filling up a syringe with the serum  
“we have to finish the protocol, it’s the only way”  
Cordelia was about to speak when Johnathan spoke first  
“dad that’s too much  
“it’s the only way” he whispered. Johnathan pushes back his hair,  
“dad there’s not a lot of time”  
Cordelia nodded in agreement  
“dad listen to Johnathan”.  
Her dad continues to stare at the syringe in his hand  
“it’ll be fine”  
he speaks in a monotone voice, causing a shiver to run down cordelia’s spine  
“I love you both” he tells them before injecting Johnathan with most of the serum. He turns to Cordelia and pushes the needle into her arm, ignoring her protests. She lies on the ground next to her brother and as they both started screaming cordelia grabs her brothers hand. She could hear people talking, whilst she couldn’t completely make out what they were saying she knew her father was arguing with whoever he was speaking with. Gun shots sounded as cordelia’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and as her hands slipped from her brothers she hoped he would be alright, that he would survive. Moonlight spilled onto her face as her breathing slowed,her eyes falling shut


End file.
